Burke hits game winner as Jazz edge Magic

The Sports Xchange

The SportsXchange•March 23, 2014

SALT LAKE CITY -- A year ago, point guard Trey Burke led Michigan to the NCAA championship game. On Saturday, he gave himself a taste of March Madness from the professional stage. Burke hit a game-winning 3-pointer with 1.6 seconds remaining and forward Richard Jefferson scored 21 points as the Utah Jazz edged the Orlando Magic 89-88 Saturday at EnergySolutions Arena. Burke, who led Michigan to the 2013 NCAA championship game a year ago, hit three of seven 3-pointers and finished with 17 points. None of his deep shots were bigger than the one he calmly swished from the corner in the final moments after a driving Gordon Hayward found him open in the corner in this back-and-forth contest. "There was like three seconds left when I caught it, and I knew I would have to shoot it immediately," Burke said. "It's a shot I work on a lot, specifically in that corner, and it fell for me." The late heroics helped the Jazz (23-47) snap a six-game losing streak and win for just the second time in 13 games in this battle of lottery-bound teams. "We didn't have any more timeouts left, but they understood the pace. Gordon made a great pass to Trey in the corner, and he made the shot," Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said. "It's great to see young guys show a lot of character. We could have fell apart there when we fell down, but they played it out." Guard Arron Afflalo's buzzer-beating attempt was off as the Magic dropped to 19-51 with their eighth consecutive defeat. Orlando fell to 4-23 and 0-13 on the road against the Western Conference. "I think overall it's a direct reflection on both of these franchises and the people who are running them," Magic coach Jacque Vaughn said of the hard-fought game. "Guys are doing their jobs and doing it representing that name that's across the front of their chests. Great job on both ends of the floor." Rookie Victor Oladipo scored a game-high 19 points for the Magic after starting at point guard for the second game in a row for injured Jameer Nelson (knee). Afflalo finished with 18 points, but he missed one of two free throws with 12.5 seconds remaining to give the Jazz the chance to win with Burke's trey. "We did some good things," Afflalo said. "We've still got some things to improve on, but we did a few good things. Overall, it was a good game. Entertaining game." Utah led by as many as 14 points and had a 10-point advantage early in the fourth quarter after backup point guard Diante Garrett hit a 3-pointer for a 74-64 lead with 9:22 remaining. Orlando fought back into the game with a 7-0 run, capped by an Afflalo 3-pointer with 4:07 to go. The Magic pulled even at 79 and again at 81 on inside buckets by forward Maurice Harkless, including a steal and dunk with 1:07 remaining. Oladipo and Afflalo each hit free throws to give Orlando a three-point lead in the final minute, including at 87-84 with 19 seconds remaining. The Jazz began their final surge with 12 seconds remaining on a layup by power forward Derrick Favors, who had 11 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots. Afflalo missed the front-end of his ensuing free throws after a quick foul by Utah. Without a timeout, the Jazz brought the ball up court and Hayward pushed toward the basket before seeing an open Burke. Vaughn thought his players engaged in "great team defense" on the final play. "We came in to help. I'll be interested to look at (Hayward's) drive. Great pass by him," Vaughn said. "I think Victor, his contest was unbelievable. Trey Burke gets the shot off with a lot of arc, and I give him credit for making it." The Magic shot just 39.2 percent while falling to Utah for the seventh consecutive time. Utah only shot 38.7 percent, but it hit 11 of 27 3-pointers (40.7 percent). Only eight Jazz players saw action, but six hit double figures in scoring, including 14 points for Hayward and 11 points apiece for Favors, center Enes Kanter (11 rebounds) and Garrett. NOTES: This was the second missed game in a row for Magic G Jameer Nelson, who is suffering from a sore left knee. It is a possibility the starting point guard could play in Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. ... The Jazz were without backup G Alec Burks, who sprained his right ankle at the end of practice Friday morning. ... The Utah Jazz honored their 1983-84 squad, which was the first team in franchise history to post a winning record (47-35), win a division (Midwest) and make the playoffs. Multiple members of that team were given a standing ovation during a first-half break, including players Mark Eaton, Darrell Griffith, Thurl Bailey, Rich Kelley and Jerry Eaves and coaches Frank Layden and Phil Johnson. Adrian Dantley, Rickey Green and Bobby Hansen were among the key players unable to attend. ... Layden, on the importance of that team for Utah, which actually played 11 home games in Las Vegas that season as it searched for stability: "It saved the franchise without a doubt." ... Magic coach Jacque Vaughn began his career with the Jazz in 1997, when he was a backup playmaker behind John Stockton.